GIVING IT A GO: Tamworth High School Year 10 students Bradley Hunt, left, and Sam Carlon with Scott Rolls from the horticulture department of Tamworth Regional Council. Photos: Geoff O’Neill 070213GOB01
TAMWORTH High School students in years 10, 11 and 12 got their hands on a variety of careers at a Skill Set organised Try A Trade Day yesterday.
Everything from hairdressing to welding and horticulture were on offer to try for the students, who in groups of 30 to 40, moved their way through various stations devoted to hands-on elements of careers that may help them choose a career path.
At the welding stand, there was an opportunity to weld; potential hairdressers styled mannequins’ hair and plants were potted at the horticulture stand.
Skill Set’s apprentice adviser Nev White said students had responded well to the opportunities presented by the different trades.
“The students really enjoyed trying everything,” Mr White said.
“There wasn’t a student who wasn’t engaged or interested in trying something that they wouldn’t have otherwise had a go at, and that is the whole purpose behind something like today.”
The Try A Trade Day is an initiative of Skill Set and there are plans, later in the year, to visit a number of other local high schools.
“We aim to expose other students to a variety of careers,” Mr White said.
Plans are in the pipeline to grow the number of careers the students can try, too.
“We have plumbing, electrical, horticulture, plastering, automotive, cooking, hairdressing and a number of other high- demand trades, where there is a recognised skills shortage,” Mr White said.
“The plan into the future would be to engage even more variety so students can get a real idea of what is out there in terms of a career.”
Year 10 student Sam Carlon tried the horticulture stand, and a number of the others on offer, and said he enjoyed being out of the classroom.
“Being hands-on with the different careers is pretty cool,” he said.